Overview and Index - CZM Coastal Water Quality Program

Find details on the Massachusetts Office of Coastal Zone Management (CZM) Coastal Water Quality Program with links to major initiatives and resources.

Without clean water, the value of the Commonwealth's coast would be vastly diminished. Good water quality is necessary for swimming, boating, fishing, shellfishing, aquaculture, and most of the other activities that draw people to the coast, as well as for healthy coastal habitats. CZM's Coastal Water Quality Program works to keep the coastal and ocean waters of Massachusetts clean through the efforts described below.

Available Funding for Stormwater Projects - This table provides descriptions and links to additional information on federal and state grant and loan programs that fund stormwater and water quality projects in Massachusetts.

Coastal Nonpoint Pollution Control Program - The number one pollution problem in coastal waters, nonpoint source (NPS) pollution occurs when contaminants are picked up by rain water and snow melt and carried over land, in groundwater, or through drainage systems to the nearest waterbody. Since 1994, CZM has been leading efforts to address these sources of pollution in Massachusetts coastal waters.

Clean Boating/Marinas

No Discharge Zones (NDZs) - NDZs are designated bodies of water where the discharge of all boat sewage, whether treated or not, is prohibited. All of Massachusetts waters are designated as “no discharge” for vessel sewage. CZM supports efforts to increase boat pumpout facilities to make proper sewage disposal more convenient for boaters.

Clean Boating - To further support boater efforts to keep coastal waters clean, CZM provides information on boat pumpout facilities for proper boat sewage disposal and on bilge socks to reduce the oil and gas released from boat engines.

Marina Management - CZM provides technical assistance and support to marinas to reduce coastal water pollution from pressure washing of boats, hull repair, engine maintenance, fueling, and other services marinas offer to the boating public.

Publications

The CZM Coastal Water Quality Program Publications Page includes an annotated listing of all CZM publications related to coastal water quality, covering the following topic areas: general water quality, the Coastal Pollutant Remediation (CPR) Grant Program, clean boating, marina management, the Coastal Nonpoint Pollution Control Program, stormwater and Low Impact Development/Smart Growth, water quality monitoring, and more.

Other Program Activities/Information

Federal Consistency Review - As part of its review of federal projects to ensure that they meet state coastal policies, CZM evaluates impacts from discharges permitted through the National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System (NPDES). In Massachusetts, these permits are developed by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency and then provided to the state for review and approval. These permits cover discharges from municipal wastewater treatment plants, power generating facilities, construction sites, stormwater discharges, and a list of industrial activities.

Water Quality at State Beaches - CZM also coordinates with the Massachusetts Department of Public Health and certain nonprofit organizations to provide information to the public on conditions at coastal beaches throughout Massachusetts. See the Massachusetts Department of Public Health Beach and Algae page for links to annual beach quality reports, water quality information, and other related topics.

In addition, CZM has produced a Coastal Landscaping website, which provides information on water quality protection and other benefits of appropriate landscaping approaches, along with detailed information on how to effectively landscape coastal banks, beaches, and dunes.